News archive for 2002, the Danish national team in women's handball

(in Denmark) was won by Denmark in yet another exhiting finals against Norway... This we had not even dared to dream of with this new team.

EC team revealed - many surprises

Much turmoil followed the announcement, which had been rushed due to pressure from nervous team players, who could not live with the uncertainty. Pytlick surprised everyone by announcing, that he had persuaded legendary Lene Rantala to return to the national team for the European Championship, even though she quit in February (see Rantala stops) The goalie from the Golden Period has had more than 200 matches in red and white and could not turn down the offer, still missing the good old days. Pytlick found that Rikke Poulsen Schmidt had not been stabil enough lately to be a reliable choice, and so she is not even on the reserve list. Another Slagelse player who is erased from the team list is Mette Melgaard, whose performance has been rather weak lately. This has caused an angry press release from Slagelse, doubting Pytlick's subjectivity. It may also surprise that Karen Brødsgaard is on the reserves list, but she is given time to recover from her knee injury that way. Instead, the coach has chosen Camilla Thomsen from FCK Handball and Heidi Johansen.

Goalkeepers
1. Lene Rantala, Larvik
12. Karin Mortensen, Ikast/Bording
20. Louise Bager Nørgaard, Viborg

Field players
2. Katrine Fruelund, Viborg
4. Ditte Andersen, GOG
5. Mette Vestergaard, FCK Håndbold
7. Christina Roslyng, Viborg
9. Heidi Johansen, FTN
10. Rikke Hørlykke, GOG
11. Camilla Thomsen, FCK Håndbold
13. Lotte Kiærskou, Viborg
14. Trine Jensen, Ikast/Bording
17. Kristine Andersen, Ikast/Bording
19. Line Daugaard, Ikast/Bording
21. Josephine Touray, Kolding IF

On the bench:
3. Tine Ladefoged, Horsens
8. Katrine Munch, Randers
18. Karen Brødsgaard, Viborg
and Winnie Mølgaard + Mette Iversen, GOG

Møbelringen Cup in Norway

Denmark - The Nederlands: 27 - 27 (17 -11)
Denmark - France: 17 - 17 (8 - 6)
Denmark - Sweden: 25 - 24 (12 - 12)
Denmark - Norway: 27 - 24 (16 - 11)

Denmark won this tournament and surprisingly also over Norway, esp. thanks to Karin Mortensen in the goal. The Danish team had otherwise not been able to prove stability enough to face the coming EC in top shape. Winnie Mølgaard and Karen Brødsgaard did not participated due to knee problems. Instead Pytlick sent Camilla Thomsen, FCK Håndbold and Tine Ladefoged, Horsens. Mia Hundvin returned back to the Norwegian national team during this tournament.

4-nation tournament: e-boks challenge cup

Denmark - Germany: 28-20 (14-14)
Denmark - Yugoslavia: 29-33 (14 -16)
Denmark - Russia 22-27 (11-13)

Denmark became second in the tournament. Here we can see the introduction period of some relatively new players: Trine Ladefoged (9. nt matches), Katrine Munch and the goal keeper Louise Bager (6. nt matches). Lotte Kiærskou is back after a long break due to injuries, but still not in top shape (neither are all the others, it seems). These matches have not been nice to watch, perhaps too little training or the usual inexperienced players are to blaim. Esp. bad defense. Good performances by goalie Rikke Poulsen Schmidt and right back Trine Jensen.

Kristine Andersen first feared to have injured her knee seriously, but tests proved, that the injure was just a minor one. Maybe she will get ready for the EC.

Scandinavian Open

Denmark - Yugoslavia: 26-23 (15-9)
Getting a bit even after the unexpected loss of the WC bronze medal to Yugoaslavia. A good start with 8-3 after 15 minutes was lost when the more unexperienced players came on court. For a while the Yugoslavians were getting really close, but in the end, the team fought and won a victory.

Denmark - Norway: 32 -33 after prolonged time where the result was 28 - 28 (16-14) . Karin Mortensen had an off-day, whereas Brødsgaard, Trine Jensen and Kristine Andersen were most prominent players. Perhaps Norway won through physical strength? Anyway, Norway won the tournament, in the finals beating Sweden 30-27.

The following are injured: Mette Vestergaard, Katrine Fruelund (shoulder) and now also Lotte Kiærskou (foot) and Rikke Hørlykke (shoulder), who had to leave the training camp.

The team:
Mette Iversen. Karin Mortensen, Tine Ladefoged, Ditte Andersen, Christina Roslyng, Katrine Munch, Gitte W. Nielsen, Winnie Mølgaard, Heidi Johansen, Mette Melgaard, Kristine Andersen, Karen Brødsgaard, Line Daugaard, Josephine Touray and Trine Jensen

Two new encounters with the Russian champions

Two matches were played against Russia. The first ended with a defeat by just one goal and the second came out even with 26-26. Pytlick was satisfied with the results, as these were the first matches after the summer break. Besides, there are many injuries on the team at the moment. Tine Ladefoged and Louise Bager are improving so fast, that they head for permanent positions on the team. (Source: B.T.)

The groups of the European Championship 2002

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
Austria	Denmark	Russia	Belarus
Rumania	Ukraine	Norway	Hungary
Yugoslavia	France	Spain	Czechia
Sweden	Nederlands	Germany	Slovenia

The draw was made by a famous ex-player, namely Anette Hoffman, who has had her share of championships and medals. Being the coach of the hosting country of the championship, Denmarks' Pytlick could pick his own group. It definitely was not going to be the really mean group C, which happened to contain some of the gold favourites and furthermore, Hungary was not an opponent to go for either, so his final choice became group B. Not easy as such, but France does not seem to scare him this time. Maybe because we just wiped them out of the World Championship in football on that same day..

Two matches against Russia:
Denmark - Russia: 25 - 29 (14-15) Testing a lot of new players like Tine Ladefoged, Katrine Munck and Anja Kristensen. Kristine Andersen top scorer.
Denmark - Russia: 23 - 20 (11-9)

Louise Pedersen stops on the national team

The Viborg player follows in Rantala's footsteps and quits the national team. Her level of performance has not been very high during the last couple of championships, quite surprising actually, when we consider the flying start she had. She rushed into the national team with a youthfull air of unimpressed courage and for some time, this wing seemed very promising. But then her performance curve sloped downwards and her self-esteem went the same way. Now she gives up, which is a pity, since we have seen her potential. She played 28 matches. But as she is just 23, she may change her mind later..

Lene Rantala stops her long career as goalkeeper

It was a nasty surprise to hear it on the news: The last of the "old veterans" from the good old days has decided to leave to the national team after 205 matches (close to Janne Kolling's record). Lene had otherwise stated time and time again, that she still felt like playing Lene Rantala, dream team match

and did not plan to stop. Only when her contract with the Norwegian club, Larvik, would end in 2004, she'd take her career up to considerations.

But somehow, she feels that her standards have fallen too much during the two last championships. She explains, that she no longer felt that she could live up to her own expectations and requirements.. a rather harsh verdict on herself, as Lene has impressed us with outstanding performances between the goal posts. "I think it is the right time to stop as the team has qualified for the EC on home ground and for the WC next year", she says to the press and adds that she chose this moment, because the Danish men's team has taken up much of the focus of the press with their EC bronze medal. She feels priviledged to have had these great experiences through the years but also looks forward to be away from the pressure (she still stays with Larvik - there is a Champions League victory as the last thing to add to the collection).. She does not want to be remembered as a person, who did not know when to stop - then rather leave when being on the top. To her, the gold in Sydney was the greatest achievement, because no one expected them to win anything.

Lene Rantala started her career rather late and only entered 1. division as a 21-year old. She entered the national team in 1991 and has thus an amazing collection of medals (and no injuries!). During many years she was not the first choice but rather the third after Susanne Munk Lauritzen and Gitte Sunesen and has spent many matches watching her collegues from the bench. Not that she minded or felt inferior, not at all. All goalkeepers worked together and who was on court for how long was not important, only the collective performance. When Susanne and Gitte left, Lene suddenly could enter the stage as first keeper and really show what she could do. Lately she has also been the eldest and most experienced player on the team, as one by one of her previous team mates retired - many of the girls on the present team are 10 years younger than Lene and very new in the game. Again she stated, that this did not make her feel left out, just more mature.

As a person, Rantala has always been very shy and not the kind to bathe in the public spotligth. She will be greatly missed, esp. from this old fan, who always had a weak spot for that girl (sniff*). Read more in the player profiles and browse through the news archives.

Anjas f*** finger strikes again

Anja Andersen's urge to speak her mind (and let a finger stress the meaning), has once again brought her into trouble. And for the first time as a coach and not a player. During a Slagelse match, Camilla Andersen recieved the red card for accidentally hitting the goalkeeper in the face with the ball doing a penalty shot. The referee found it was done on purpose and so sent Camilla out, which lead to Slagelse losing an important placement match. Right after, Anja was interviewed on tv and she was very agitated about the incidence, giving all her heartfelt opinion about the referee and waving her famous finger at them. Knowing Anja, this is no big deal (and the television crew should know better from previous experienced to interview her right after a heated match), but the result is, that Anja received a quaranteen by the Danish Handball Federation..a decision that Slagelse will bring further in the juridical system. For the next match (against Virum-Sorgenfri) she wisely chose to stay away from the building alltogether - if still sitting on the spectators' rows she might feel tempted to do something "inappropriate" again.

News archive, 2002:

The European Championship 2002